Winter is Coming...

[Gavin]

and



my ride in this morning was fine...the temp was exactly 32 degrees, so the roads stayed wet vs snowy or icy

I looked and it "should" be around 35 degrees for my ride home...but then I see this

http://www.abqjournal.com/314120/abqnewsseeker/freezing-temps-snow-hit-new-mexico.html

So I might have a slow commute home...My wife likes to remind me that I am the dumbest smart person she knows..

Gavin

[Brammofan]

Yeesh. Be careful out there, Gavin.

[Gavin]

I will...I don't mind riding in the snow...or even ice...just go slow....for ice, no braking or turning...
ha, one morning I rode in (5.2 miles) and it was a good half inch of solid ice the whole way...I just used my feet like an outrigger canoe and it was all good. The ice was so thick and perfect that my feet slid along the ground like having training wheels.

my main concern is always the cars on the road. I would ride in any weather if there were no cars...

well that and bridges...I have no route to work without crossing at least one bridge...I take bridges real slow when it's close to freezing or below.

G

[Shinysideup]

Studded tires? Probably not enough consistent ice to justify.

If I were you, I'd listen to your wife. Not being able to stop or turn or suddenly accelerate when dealing with cars on the road is a show stopper, I'd think.

But then I don't listen to mine. Hmmm...

I guess if you go very slow and dump it, you'll just slide without road rash, if the impact doesn't break anything.

At least ABQ is getting much needed moisture.

Wishing you safe journeys slip sliding along...

[Brammofan]

Did you make it home safely, Gavin?

[Gavin]

Yes...no problems...it was 20 degrees, so a bit cold...

But not as cold as this mornings ride:




Fog and 16 degrees? Isn't that too cold for fog?

Lessons: Time to break out the winter gloves! Second, stop wearing tennis shoes...wind cuts right through the mesh around the toes. Finally, time to break out the winter coat. The Brammo coat goes into the closet till spring.

G

edited as I can't type on my iPhone obviously.

[Shinysideup]

I'm much more of a weanie than Gavin and bought one of these:

http://www.jett.us.com/

The rechargeable battery doesn't drain the Empulse system. It heats up the whole back and if you can keep your kidneys warm, it helps to keep your whole body warm. Not as good as a Gerbing's jacket liner, but, under the right jacket, it does well in my more moderate temps of down to 35 degrees.

I also got some First Gear heated gloves that do plug into the bike's 12V tap, but they only draw around 30 watts.

I saw on the news last night where Denver hit 15 below and a local cafe owner took the reporter into his walk-in freezer where they "warmed up" in the 2 degree box, a full 17 degrees warmer than outside. Maybe there they ride the Aprilia Shiver!

[Gavin]

Ha...Jennifer with Brammo asked why I don't have heated grips...I mentioned something about heated gear and used a dismissive comment or two...

I might have to re-evaluate that as it gets a bit colder and colder. When it gets to the single digits for the morning commute, well it takes about 10 minutes for my fingers to regain feeling...

as I've said, my wife routinely comments how I am the dumbest smart person she knows...slowly over time it becomes more and more just, "Gavin, you are the dumbest smart person I know." Me, "You mean the dumbest smart person, right?" Her, "Sure....maybe. Whatever helps you sleep at night, dear."


Gavin

[skuzzle]

Ha...Jennifer with Brammo asked why I don't have heated grips...

Just FYI.  I find heated grips pretty useless for me.  They heat one side of my hand, but let the side in the wind freeze.  I have a pair of Gerbing heated gloves that are wonderful.  They only use 28 watts at the max setting.  I've had toasty hands all the way down to the mid-twenties.  Unfortunately I have no place to plug them in on the Empulse.  I'm probably going to follow Shinysideup lead by getting the Gerbing Lithium battery pack.  It's good for 6 hours at 50% setting.  It also has a key fob from which you can choose one of three heat settings.

[Shinysideup]

In addition to the vest with its portable battery, I've connected a Gerbings female jack to the handlebar with a couple of nylon tie wraps. The leads connect to a fusebox which is connected to the 12V tap on the right upper part of the frame. (Another thread here discusses where this tap is.)

I've run both a heated jacket liner AND the heated gloves at the same time, but I think this is probably at the borderline of what that 12V circuit can handle, as the lights are also on the same circuit, IIRC.